14-Year-Old Walks Into Fire Station After Seeing His Face In Facebook Posts About ‘Missing’ Teen

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Aubrey Peal, 14, lives in Olive Branch, Illinois. His family describes him as a smart kid who loves to stay home and play video games.

Late one night, Aubrey reportedly snuck out a window while his parents, John and Alicia, were sound asleep. He disappeared into the night, and by the time his family woke up, he was gone without a trace.

According to the Oxford Eagle, the family maintained the fact Aubrey never showed any signs of wanting to run away and saw no signs of trouble. “My son is 14 years old, no mental illness, no medications, nothing about him that says there’s anything wrong with him,” John said. “All the numbers that he has saved on his phone are people we know.”

After Aubrey disappeared, John remembered hearing him talking to someone on his phone while he was playing video games. He didn’t think much of it, especially since he and Alicia always kept a close eye on Aubrey’s internet activity.

Days passed, and a tireless search, which included a private investigator and the police department, was underway. But it was Bella, a K-9 bloodhound, who was able to follow Aubrey’s trail. Authorities were certain Aubrey snuck out of his home, exited his subdivision, got in someone’s car, and left town.

Meanwhile, Aubrey’s face was being plastered on missing posters, news stations, and social media in all 50 states.

Five days after his mysterious disappearance, Aubrey walked into an Illinois fire station. He’d seen himself on the news and was turning himself in.

By this point, investigators had determined the teen had been lured away from his home — and it all traced back to a popular app he downloaded on his cellphone.